How my dog Daphne taught me responsibility – and led to a baby, a book and a better life

I wanted, in no particular order apart from the first one: a dog; to go hillwalking more; travel less; have a baby; write a book; sort out my chronic back pain from years of typing thousands of words a week; learn the names of trees, flowers and birds; and so on.

Very good dog reads with pupils and has his own school uniform and backpack

Russell the Dog, 13, listening to school children read at Coalsnaughton Primary School (Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith SWNS.com)An adorable dog loves helping primary school pupils to read, and even has his own school uniform and backpack.

Letters

When Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, says that Hamas “pile up as many civilian dead as they can” to make Israel look bad, he is speaking from a mind-set that has informed the political attitude of Israel’s leaders for many years.